Lifeline captain charged in Malta granted permission to travel to Germany

The captain of the migrant rescue vessel MV Lifeline, currently facing court proceedings in Malta, has been given permission by a court to travel to Germany to visit his elderly mother.

Claus-Peter Reisch, 57, has been charged with entering Maltese waters without permission and with vessel registration irregularities.

The ship was impounded after the Maltese government allowed it to disembark 233 migrants in Malta following a week long standoff with Italy. Eventually eight other countries agreed to share the migrants with Malta.

The decree was handed down on Wednesday morning by Magistrate Joe Mifsud, who is hearing the case against Reisch.

Reisch had initially been granted bail but was told to stay in Malta until the case was heard. In the last sitting, he had asked the court to allow him to visit his 93-year-old mother.